Redemption
by Shadow.Alchemist13
Summary: She's the cities infamous psychopath who's known for her deadly knife skills. He's the famed delinquent, known for somehow helping people with their problems. A fated meeting on a train could have turned into massacre, but somehow it turned into something entirely different. TeixMikuo; For Ryuchu's Under-Appreciated Vocaloid Pairing Contest


**I really shouldn't be writing this, especially when I actually have time to update one of my ongoing fics... but this seemed like so much fun. I've never written for a contest before, so wish me luck!**

**About the pairing: TeixMikuo... heh. So cray-cray. I don't know how I began liking them, but I did, and they seem pretty unappreciated (four or five fics on fanfiction), despite the fact that they are both pretty well known (especially as antagonists in RinxLen fics xD) Okay, I'll stop ranting now.**

**Special thanks to Ryuchu, for extending the time a little for me!**

**Another thanks goes out to xFresca for editing for me! Go read her fics, they're really good :D**

**Disclaimer: In no way possible will Vocaloid ever be mine. How sad...**

* * *

"Wake up."

I groaned to myself- who would dare try to wake me up, of all people- before turning to the side, the gentle rock of the train luring me into an even deeper sleep.

Now, I'm sure you're thinking that it's totally unsafe to go to sleep on a train, but since it's relatively late, the train was mostly empty, although I suppose that could make it worse if someone tried to sexually assault me. I'm not afraid though.

"Listen, you need to get up now," the voice says, and I suddenly feel a hand delicately shaking my shoulder.

Without even bothering to open my eyes, I grab the hand and stand up, flipping whoever it is.

I have to reason to be afraid of anyone, anything.

Well, actually, I'm afraid of one person. But I have a good reason to be, so it's understandable.

Opening my eyes, I expect to see some whimpering, old-aged pervert on the ground, groaning about how he should have never messed with me. I'll then smirk and get off the train as soon as it stops, even if it isn't _my_ stop.

Instead I'm stuck with a boy my age _standing_ in front of me, face completely blank. He has teal hair, and matching eyes, which is weird.

Says the girl with gray hair and red eyes.

"I could have sworn I flipped you," I mumble move to myself than anyone. A casual glance around the train shows that everyone is staring at me with wide, fearful eyes. Another reason people take lengths to avoid this train: I take it.

"You did. I just landed on my feet." The boy says the words simply, no pride, no smirk to put me down. Just stating the facts, all business.

I've seen him around some. Even though he looks to be around my age, I haven't seen him in school before- and I would remember, with his teal hair and everything. However, he's been on the train for the last couple of weeks, and every so often, I find my eyes sliding to his. Each time he stares back intensely, and _I_ have to break eye contact. Thus, I have deemed him a freak of nature, even worse than myself.

And that's saying something.

"You're stop is the next one, right?" He asks, like it's totally normal to ask a stranger such a stalker like question.

"How do you know that?" I ask suspiciously, glaring daggers at him.

"I just notice that. I notice a lot of things," he says with a small shrug.

My eyes narrow in discomfort. "Really? I don't believe you."

"Let's see... example... well, that man over there is cheating on his wife," he says, pointing to a middle aged man with light brown hair and dark eyes.

"How do you-?"

"His clothes." I peer closer, but I don't notice anything out of the ordinary. "They're crumpled in certain places. His tie is done by a women- way too feminine- but a knot like that would only last a couple of hours before it came out and he himself would have to redo it. There sits a wedding ring on his finger, so that's how we know that he's married."

_We?_

I want to ask him why he says 'we', but I opt for another question instead. "There's a difference between male and female knots?"

"Of course there is. As you are a female, I would have expected you to notice," he says. "However, I understand if you don't. Basically, females tie ties in the way that they go _over_, instead of-"

"I'm bored," I say. "Who else?"

The boy casually glances to the side, his eyes flickering to a boy and girl who I assume to be a couple. "That boy has been friends with her for a long time. You can tell how he treasures her differently. However, he has a love interest, and she doesn't like that... She's been giving him all the bad advice, but he doesn't realize this quite yet. She's very subtle."

"How can you know this?" I ask in amazement. A freak of nature indeed.

"She tries so hard with him, it's obvious. The flirty look, the breasts touching his arm, which wouldn't be needed to be done if they were dating. She even changed her hairstyle to match that of the one he likes. However, she won't get anywhere. He's too infatuated."

"How did you know what the hairstyle is of the girl he likes?" I ask, glaring slightly.

"I might have seen him looking at a picture on his cellphone..." Teal-Head admits, shrugging slightly.

"HAH! CHEATER!" People had already began to uneasily start their conversations again, but all eyes on me as I scream that out loud. I just smile back- a deadly smile, not one of sugary sweetness- before turning to Teal-Head.

"Tell me another!" I say eagerly. Who knew that this could be so interesting.

"Fine. How about..." He pauses- dramatic effect, much?- and for the first time I see a small flicker of emotion on his face. "...You?"

"No-!" I protest, but he's already started.

"You... are confusing." His face is annoyed, his expression tight. I wonder what's wrong with me?

Well, no, I don't. I can list about twenty things that wrong with me off the top of my head.

I wonder what's wrong with me in the sense that bothers him.

"I can see that you have a total of four knives- two on the inside of your pocket, one in your boot, one around your waist-" He even saw the one around my waist? That's my smallest and most well hidden one!- "And you hold an aura of deadliness. However, much like the boy from before, you look at a photo on your phone with such care and satisfaction that I wonder who it is that managed to capture your heart."

I blush a deep red, but my words are smooth and they don't stutter. "Len Kagamine. Look him up if you want to, I suppose."

"Ah. So you're _that_ girl?"

Heh. It's surprising that I'm the legendary psychopath of this place. Most people learn everything they think there is to know about me within a week of moving here, and then take pains to stay away.

"Sure am." The train finally, _finally_ stops where I have to go. "Name's Tei Sukone. Don't like the title 'That Girl' that much. Yours?"

He hesitates.

Ah. Of course he wouldn't want to give his name off to some crazy freak.

"No need to tell me," I say smoothly. I jump off the train, feeling a little hurt, but not disappointed. It's what I expected, it's what I get. "Just don't come near me again, okay?"

He opens his mouth to say something, but the train takes off. I wave a 'friendly' goodbye before sighing and spinning on my heels, the crowd making me to wake past them.

Of course there are some convinces as being known as the cities crazed mental patient. You don't have to fight through crowds, everyone fears you, you sometimes even get things for free...

Although, I suppose I do feel a little lonely.

I shake my head several times.

I've got Len.

Len, who's perfect in every way.

Len, who was nice to me when no one else was.

Len, who I love.

Len, who happens to be dating another.

But, no matter.

She'll be out of the picture soon enough.

* * *

Mikuo's P.O.V

"Len? Len, guess who I got to meet today?" I say while walking through the warehouse we use as our base. There are loud cheers, screams, and fights breaking out every so often. However, a path clears for me, and I pass through the crowd easily.

"Who?" He challenges, eyes focused on the game of poll he's playing. My sister is on one side, and Len's girlfriend has her legs wrapped around him as he tries to hit a ball, but ends up failing.

"Tei Sukone."

He drops the pool stick.

"Don't even mention her," Len says, bending down to pick it up. Rin frowns thoughtfully, but pulls herself closer to Len when he comes back up.

"Afraid that her name is a jinx?" Miku asks, smirking as she attempts to hit the eight ball in order to finish to game.

"She's crazy. You don't understand," Len says while taking a sip of his drink. Rin snickers before leaning into him and Miku rolls her eyes.

I frown, but don't say anything.

She didn't seem that bad... I've seen worse, right? She's just a girl, and Len may be exaggerating, as well as the rumors that surround her.

And what rumors they are. Arson, homicide, once even rape, even though she has never been convicted with anything before- they're all just rumors. There are only three things that are set in stone about Tei Sukone:

One: She's deadly with a knife. Can probably throw one faster than a bullet being shot.

Two: Don't get on her bad side. Ever.

And, three: Len Kagamine is her number one obsession. How Rin has survived this long, since they are dating and all, I have no idea, but she's managed.

Probably because Rin isn't exactly the sugary sweet girl everyone thinks she is.

"Mikuo? You okay? You totally spaced right there," Rin says, leaning over Len's shoulder. The dingy light casts shadows on everyone's face, hard to tell who's who.

I lick my lips and shrug.

Everyone here, _everyone_, holds a facade.

Rin may seem sweet, but in truth she hates _most_ men with enough passion to want to kill if one gets too close.

Kaito is supposed to be the clueless, ice-cream loving idiot, but ask him a question about anything, basically- which is the most vital point of the human body, how much blood does a person need to lose in order for them to die from blood loss?- he can answer it with the same smile on his face he has when he eats ice cream.

Miku's supposed to be the diva, but in truth she just uses that as a way to hide her hurt from the what our parents have done to us.

Meiko is the supposed drunk slut, but she really is the older sister kind, who only sleeps and drinks in order to forget her past, her memories.

And me? I'm the supposed 'leader' of the place, only to show sadistic pleasure. No other emotion should be shown at any time. I shouldn't go to school, as I am also a terrifying delinquent, otherwise who knows what would happen.

In truth, I'm just a kid.

I made this place so that people who hold a facade during the day can come here at night and take it off.

It's ironic, though. I'm the only one who can't take my facade _off._

Over the years, it went from my small group of friends to some hundreds of people, mostly teenagers or young adults. I know everyone who has ever visited here, I know their problems down to the dot, swearing that I will never tell another.

They know me as a delinquent, yet they still come here.

I suppose in times of desperation, people will go to any last resort, but it always still surprises me how people would come to the terrifying King of Hell, or whatever (I have many nicknames, all very lame).

Through listening to these problems, I learnt how to read people very quickly, very easily. It isn't that hard, if you think about it. Where they place they hands, what they do with them, the basic if they're staring you in the eye- too much or too little probably means that they are lying to you- simple things like then. And then you learn more details over the years, an exampling being differences between who tied a the knot, gender wise.

However, there is one problem to be the one listening to everyone's problems, to be the leader of this all.

You never are yourself.

* * *

Tei's P.O.V

He slides into the seat next to me, much to my shock, but I ignore him and continue looking through my photos of Len.

Neh, he's so beautiful, right? With that silky gold hair, and calm blue eyes. We're perfect together... we will be together... we are soul mates...

Or, at least, that would be what I would be thinking about on a normal day. Instead, I feel myself shaking on the inside to think that Teal-Head is sitting next to me, of all people, again. This makes no sense.

"My name's Hatsune Mikuo," he says, extending his hand. I ignore it, and decide to read some manga off my phone. Except that doesn't work because I'm too busy trying to figure out where I have heard that name before.

Mikuo... Mikuo...

"Hello?" He says, waving his hand underneath my nose.

"Oi! You're that deliquent kid who never goes to school, or home! I've always wondered where you go... apparently you disappear into the shadows at night."

Mikuo raises an eyebrow and waves his hand once again.

"I'm not interested," I say, sighing as I turn my phone off. "I may be 'interesting' to you, or whatever, but I have no interest in you. So leave me alone. Or else." The last part is just meant for me to keep my street cred up, nothing else. I don't actually plan on hurting him.

I only hurt the people that get in the way of Len and myself.

However, Mikuo does not get up and run away like how I'm expecting. Instead, he just shifts in his seat and sighs, running a hand through his bangs.

"I'm not interested in you anymore. Every since I figured out who you were, the whole knives-and-soft-smile thing became clear to me. You're no longer a mystery to me, and that's disappointing. I haven't had a good challenge since Rin."

I freeze when I hear that name.

"R-Rin?" I ask, trembling slightly.

"Oh... I figure that I shouldn't mention her in front of you, her being Len's girlfriend and all. Don't want you to destroy something in your rage, or whatever," Mikuo says casually.

"Something like that," I say casually. I actually don't know how to feel about Rin.

I hate her due to her being together with Len.

I'm scared of the way she actually pretends to like me.

I have a feeling that underneath all her layers of 'innocence,' she's hiding something.

Mikuo's eyes narrow slightly, but he doesn't say anything. "Why are you here?" I ask. "Most people won't talk to me." It's true. The last decent conversation I had, before talking to Mikuo, was probably one or two years ago, not including me threatening people.

"You were on the train. I was bored. Does there there really have to be any other reason?"

"Well, people say I'm insane. Why talk to an insane person?"

"'People say.' Are you really?"

"Probably," I admit, not bothering to hide it. "If you're hoping that there is more than what meets the eye about my, I'm afraid you are going to be very disappointed."

"Perhaps there is more to what meets the eye about you, and you haven't even realized it," Mikuo says. I stare at him a little, and then sigh before getting up just as the train slows to a stop.

"You're in for a real disappointment," I say and then hop off."

* * *

She's with my Lenkins again.

It agitates me how close Len allows Rin to be next to him, or how happily they smile at one another. They don't see me because I'm in an alleyway behind them It's really not fair...

I finger one of my knives, slowly dragging my hand up and down the blade, but not hard enough to draw blood. I really would like to use one of these sometime soon. I feel like if I don't use them often enough, all my skill will be gone.

And what skill I have.

They walk into a warehouse, in step with one another, were a person greats them with a blank face.

I quickly realize that that person is Mikuo.

It shouldn't surprise me, I suppose, but I can't help but to feel a little shocked. After saying a couple of words to them, and Rin and Len walk inside, Mikuo following.

I sigh and slide down onto my butt, into a sitting position. I take the knife I hide in my belt out, and then look around from side to side. A paper blows in the wind, but in a second it's nailed up against the wall, my knife shaking slightly. I should probably get up and retrieve it, but I've been so tired lately...

"Is_ it_ actually asleep?"

I stir in my sleep a little. Registering the words, but not the meaning.

"A monster like it? Yeah right."

"Yeah. How can it actually sleep?"

My eye twitches slightly.

"But, if it it is, we can take revenge for it stabbing you."

"It's asleep."

A sharp kick to my stomach, and then another to my nose.

With a gasp, my eyes open as pain fills my body. Blood flows freely down my face, and my head begins throbbing already. They must not realize that I'm awake, cause in a second, another foot obscures my vision.

I roll to the side and grab the knife I had thrown early at the paper. In front of me are three of your typical delinquents, looked pissed, and now a little scared. I slash at one's leg, and he quickly jerks back as I jump up, moving the knife from one hand to another.

My vision goes red.

I feel like a blur, not seeing anything clearly, only being able to register body parts- hands, feet, legs, arms, and so on. And, as terrible as it may sound, this feels amazing. The adrenalin pulsing through me, the control and power.

The next time I can see properly, the three of them are groaning in pain, all on the floor while holding various parts. Both their blood and mine are on the floor.

"Tei?"

And, of course, it's Mikuo. I turn around slowly, feeling strangely self-conscious.

"What's going on?" He asks. "Are you okay? You're bleeding. Who are these people."

Too many questions.

"Did you do this?"

I don't say anything, just stand there and tightly grab my blood-soaked knife.

"Your nose," he says in this funny voice, and he leans forward as if to touch me. I slap his hand away, and glare at him.

"Don't touch me," I snap, my voice tight and annoyed. I don't know why I'm feeling so pressured at this moment, but there is a sinking feeling in my stomach, and I don't like it.

He stares.

"I told you I was crazy, right?" I ask. Why am I asking him this? Why do I care what Mikuo thinks? "This doesn't hurt." It's actually quite painful. "I can make it home from here. Or, I need to, before the cops come."

"Are you crazy?" Mikuo asks. He grabs my hand and begins pulling me to the warehouse. "I have some napkins in my office. At least take some before I escort you home."

"Leave me alone," I say, trying to shake him off.

"You're going to get dizzy, and then some sort of pervert is going to try and attack you, or something."

"I'll be fine."

"You're a girl, okay?"

"Don't look down at my sex. You'll come to regret it."

"I'm not."

"Then what are you doing?"

Mikuo is saved from having to answer by throwing open the door. Inside, some sort of party is taking place, lights flashing and loud shouts. One by one, however, the conversation dies as everyone stares at us.

I find Len and Rin rather easily. They're at pool table with a brown headed women who looks drunk, and another women with teal hair, probably related to Mikuo somehow. Rin's legs are wrapped around Len, her face tucked into his neck. I suppose it looks sweet, but I don't care.

"T-Tei," Len says in a high-pitched, strained voice. "What's going on, Mikuo?"

"None of your business. Let's go to my office, Tei," he says while pulling me. The crowd parts and makes a path of us, whispers flaring up. I bet the rumors are already being spread.

He leads me to a place behind stage, into a small room that contains a desk and chair. "Hold your nose up and pinch it while I find the tissues," Mikuo says, looking through stuff.

"I thought I was supposed to look down and allow the blood to flow," I reply.

"Is that it? Well, I don't blood on my floor."

"Then why make me come here?"

Once again, Mikuo is saved by a knock on the door. He hands he some tissues and then goes to answers it.

It's Rin and Len.

"Tei!" Rin says while bouncing over to me. Len winces slightly and Rin grabs my shoulders.

This girl... why does she feel totally unthreatened by me?! I'm the _psychopath_ who's after _her boyfriend_, and yet she still treats me like her _friend_?

Len winces as I growl out, "Go away," only to be rewarded with the taste of blood in my mouth. Ew, that tastes so bad.

"Is it stopping? Do you think your nose is broken?" Mikuo asks, moving to my side and then tilting my head the way that is supposed to be correct.

"I'm fine. Anyways, no hospital would want to admit me, so it doesn't even matter." As sick as it may sound, it's true. No one believes me when I say I'm injured, even when they see the injury themselves.

"But that's-" Mikuo starts.

"That's what?" I challenge.

"...Wrong, I suppose," Mikuo finishes, but I just sigh.

"Can I go home now?" I ask, wanting to escape from everyone's heated glares.

"Has the bleeding stopped?" I don't answer, instead sliding my eyes to the floor. "You're staying right here, missy."

Awkward silence.

"So... how do you two know each other?" Len says, eyes never straying from me. He looks terrified.

"We meet on the train," Mikuo says.

"Something about reading people," I mumble, itching my head. The bleeding is finally slowing, thank god. Mikuo passes me a few tissues.

"So, what happened, Tei?" Rin asks. "Why did you decide to beat those three people up."

It hurts how people automatically think that I'm the one who started the fights.

Just let them think what they want.

"Oh, you know. Stuff."

"You didn't even have a legit reason?" Len asks in a flat voice. I shift slightly in my seat, not liking the tone of his voice.

"I have a reason, Lenny." Good, the nickname made him looked freaked out again. I am so sadistic. "Who says I need to share it with you?"

"I kind of expected that you would have," Len says awkwardly, and I realize what he means. I usually would listen to his everyone whim, or use this as an opportunity to talk to him, but I don't feel like seeing him.

I'm sure you're wondering why I fell for Len Kagamine, right? I can still remember exactly what happened-

_It had been decided from early on that to associate with me would be the same as social suicide. A big no-no. Since elementary school, it had been decided that I was the one with no friends. I had no parents to save me, and my older brother, who took care of me, was someone who I barely saw. He was nice, though, the couple of times a month that I did see him. And it's not like I didn't understand- he was only seventeen when our parents died in a fire. It would only be natural that he wouldn't have time to see me when he had to work twenty hours of the day in order to support the both of us. _

_I was a good kid. Always did my homework- no need to be told- only spoke when spoken to... When other children ran outside, screaming wildly during recess, I quietly sat in the library and read a book or manga. When girls began changing- taking about boys and bra sizes- I began practicing my knife skills. _

_In middle school, a fight broke out between me and one other girl. It was inevitable that it would happen, when the attacks would go from saying only names to both name-calling and physical assault. She managed to beat me, but barely. After that it soon became a regular past time for people to do whatever they wanted to me._

_Until all that physical and mental bullying just led me to snap. _

_It was the first time I saw "red" during a fight. It was the first time to which I won. It was also the first time a fight between two middle school girls had become so brutal and wild.  
_

_However, one had remained completely unharmed. _

_And, as I stood there, my vision coming back, I realized that I _liked_ this insane power, the feeling of scaring others instead of being scared yourself._

_Thus, the psychotic side of me was born. _

_Fast forward two years after that (to my freshman year). The first day of high school! People excited, yet nervous, to be back at school. The nervous butterflies worse than years before, the fear of being separated from close friends, and the terrible fate of having Tei Sukone, the crazed murder, in one of your classes.__  
_

_Okay, so in two short years I managed to create quite a name for myself. No biggie._

_Everyone took pains to avoid me, even upperclassman. The hallways I took were nearly empty. All seats were filled as far away from me as possible. At lunch, I would be the only one sitting outside, no matter how beautiful the day. I, surprisingly, enjoyed these isolation._

_Not._

_That's what I tried to convince myself for the first couple weeks, the entire time feeling liked I wanted to puke. I held up the facade of a monster, of course, because that was the only part of myself that I knew. _

_A month and half into school, I decided to skip classes and go to the roof. The weather was so perfect- the sun warm, but not hot, a slight breeze, no humidity- and I could feel myself falling asleep, thinking nice thoughts about when I was bullied rather than isolated. _

_The door opens, and my eyes instantly fly open, my hand resting on the knife I had began carrying around with myself. There's some weird blonde freak with a ponytail, and he's staring at me, neither showing shock or fear. _

_Instead he smiles. _

_"Ah, I hope you have room for one more? I was planning on giving a promise ring to my girlfriend, and I wanted to rehearse..." I shrugged and laid back down, wanting to fall asleep again. The blonde went to one corner of the roof, and despite how hard I tried, I couldn't keep my eyes off of him. _

_He practiced multiple ways of presenting the ring to his girlfriend. And, although he was obviously dissatisfied with the results, I couldn't help but to admire him for keep up with it, for trying his hardest for this one girl._

_And, somehow, I found myself wishing to be that girl._

_More of, not his girl, necessarily, but a girl that would have a guy present a gift to so passionately. To whom a guy would worry and spoil about. _

_A burning desire ran through me. _

And, perhaps I'm mistaking this 'love' for Len was just me wanting someone to want _me_, but-

NO!

TEI SUKONE, YOU CANNOT THINK LIKE THAT!

You love Len, right?

It's why you sought him for such a long time.

He'll accept you.

You can't give up now, not two years later.

"She must have a legit reason," Mikuo says, breaking through my thoughts. I shook my head and stared at them, trying to remember what had just happened... oh, right. My reason for beating those guys up.

"Ah-ha, Mikuo," I said, waving my hands back and forth, wearing a total Izaya-worthy smile, "I'm afraid I'm going to have to let you down once again. I'm afraid that those guys were simply 'in my way,' and thus decided that I should beat them up."

I've held onto the facade of being a monster for such a long time that I couldn't possibly let it go now. People want me to be crazy, and I can't suddenly become 'nice,' or give legit reasons for doing random acts of terror.

"You're lying," Mikuo says in a flat voice. "Whenever you lie, you tend to focus on one thing and look no where else." Too late, I force myself to look away, but Mikuo just smirks as I have proved his point. "Well?"

"Fine," I reply, sighing as I go. "I was lying."

"What?" Len asks, but Mikuo just waves his hand to cut him off.

"So, what happened?"

"I fell asleep, and then they decided to take revenge on me stabbing one of them earlier in the month. I think. I was asleep, it was hard to listen to them speak, okay?" I say while whipping the blood off my knife and adding the tissue into the mound of bloody tissues that lays in a wastebasket next to Mikuo's desk.

"You fall asleep anywhere, don't you?" Len asks, sighing.

I freeze.

Does he remember meeting me on the roof?

.

.

.

Of course he does. Due to his friendliness, he got a crazy person to fall in love with him.

"Can I go home now?" I ask, annoyed. "Teiru could be home for once, and I don't want to miss him."

"Fine, let's go," Mikuo says with a tired sigh. "Take some tissues in case you begin bleeding again."

"You don't have to take me home."

"Of course not. Stalking is always an option, if that makes you feel safer or better."

I sigh in defeat, and walk towards the door. However, Mikuo grabs my shoulder and then spins me around, pointing at another door that's behind a tall, potted plant. "Backdoor, if you wish not to attract attention."

"Why didn't we go through that door instead of parading through that party?" I ask, annoyed. Mikuo opens the door and waves goodbye to Rin and Len. Rin shouts something about hoping that I feel better, but I ignore her.

"Because I felt like showcasing you," Mikuo said while locking the door.

"I'm sorry, butt-face, but I'm not exactly the submissive type," I reply, wondering what he actually means by that. "I'm not some wild animal you can tame."

"Maybe. Maybe not. But, you're interesting me, and I want to see the real you; the one that isn't hidden in that lousy, 'monster' facade that you hold," Mikuo says nonchalantly. I stop walking.

This is our third meeting, yet he has begun figuring me out more than I've bothered to realize about myself.

"I-I don't know what you're talking about," I say, taking long strides in order to catch up. "I'm just your normal psycho."

* * *

"Get away from me, freak."

"I'm not the freak here."

"You have fucking teal hair."

"You have pretty red eyes."

"You're creepy!"

"And you aren't? Not saying that I don't find it attractive."

"Yeah, but at least I'm not a stalker!"

"Really? Len Kagamine really should be informed by this update. Maybe then he will be able to sleep peacefully at night again." Mikuo let out a wide smirk as I sighed in defeat, knowing that he had got me. This time.

"You suck, boy," I said, and Mikuo ruffled my hair affectionately.

In the past three weeks, I've become closer to him than I have with anyone else that I have ever come in contact with. Mikuo says it's the same for him, but I don't believe it. He's stalked me home every day and then kidnaps me to his office, where we usually play a game of cards or chess, betting away gummy bears instead of money. My crime activity on the streets has gone down drastically, which of course has led to the wide spread of rumors, most of them saying that I'm either pregnant or in prison for killing the president's dog, or even both. Yay.

But it doesn't really matter to me. As much as I complain, I still like spending time with Mikuo. I even sometimes see Len, when Rin forces him to join in our games. And, even though I don't like Rin that much, I still tolerate her since Mikuo likes her.

Hm. Strange how jealously burns through me.

"Tei! Tei, I said check. Gosh, the move is so obvious. So I need to move your piece for you?" Mikuo asked. I waved my hand distantly, staring at the clock that hung in the corner of the room. "Okay, it's done. My turn now, so I do this... And, ta-da! Checkmate!"

"What?!" I shrieked, and then quickly look down at the board. His castle, rook, and queen had cornered my king into a corner. "Mi-ku-o! You cheated!" I complained while shaking his arm a little.

"Did not! You decided to give me control of your own piece's, so it's your own damn fault," Mikuo said. He was right of course, but that doesn't mean I would give up!

"But... I assumed you were better than that! I assumed that you would have been _honest_, and _noble_," I said while poking him in the stomach, knowing full well that he was ticklish.

"Who the hell is honest these days?" Mikuo said as a small giggle escaped him. I smirked and unleashed my attack.

"Well, Nao from 'Liar Game' is," I said, fully unleashing my attack onto him.

"T-Tei stop it!" Mikuo said while giggling helplessly. I surged forward and continued as he desperately gasped for breath while trying to push me off. The result ended up with Mikuo trying to tickle me back- which failed. I've got abs of steal. Instead he managed to knock me over onto the floor, him on top, with chess pieces every where.

Silence.

And although my hard was rapidly beating, and I felt an odd wanting of wanting to stay like this, I began tickling him once again so that he would get off. After a couple of more giggles, he ended up lying right next to me on the floor of his office, staring at the ceiling in silence.

"Don't try that again," I say, finally breaking the silence.

"I won't. Just don't tickle make again," Mikuo said while running a hand through his hair.

"Oh, I make no promises," I said casually.

"You-!" Mikuo started, leaning forward, but I already launched my hand out and began tickling his sides. He small laugh escaped him, and then another, and soon enough he was crying from eye to eye.

A sudden knock on the door and a person entering ruined our little moment. A women stood there with dirty blonde hair, looking rather shocked. "M-Mikuo! What is she doing to you?"

Of course. I couldn't possibly have fun with someone in a way that didn't involve me not ripping their hearts and dancing on them.

"She's-hic!- tickling me-hic!" Mikuo said while getting up. His face instantly went blank, his expression cold and heavy.

Hm. So we both hold facades, is it? Whenever we're around people, his face is always completely blank, his heart closed off to the world. Around me, he smiles freely.

"Wait out back, Tei. This won't take long," Mikuo says. I shrug and then go outside. The night is cold and the alleyway I stand in is dark, the only light coming from the streetlamp all the way at the end of it. I don't feel threatened in anyway, my my hand finds it's way to my pocket, and I find myself tracing the profile of my knife. I haven't thrown one in a while, I wonder how my skill is.

"Aren't you supposed to be in prison?" I recognize that voice- it's one of the three men who attacked me when I was asleep. I turn my head a little to the side to look at them, but don't allow any emotion to show.

"Aren't you supposed to mind your own business?" I ask rudely while gripping the handle of my knife inside of my pocket.

"I've heard you've gone soft, Sukone. What happened to you?" Another asks.

I laugh and then reply, "Haven't you heard? I got pregnant by the president's dog!"

My facade as a psychopath is my mask.

"What the fuck?!"

I use it to shield me, so that the world will never know what I'm like.

"That is messed up. You're insane, you know that?!"

My reputation has come so far... I can't do anything about it. Nothing at all. I don't want to let people down, so I keep it up.

"Of course I'm insane! My name is Tei Sukone, and I'm just as insane as Yuno, if not worse, nya!" I say while winking and holding my hands up to my head so that they look like they're cat ears.

"Shut up," a voice says from the door from which I just came, and I turn to see Mikuo. My heart sinks a little, but I keep acting cheerful.

"Mikuo! Hey, join the party! We're talking peacefully!" I say while extending my hand in a peace sign. "Of course, that's until the fighting br-!"

Mikuo cuts me off by surging forward and grabbing the collar of my shirt. He then pinned my up against the wall. The three behind us stared at him, looking more than a little freaked out, if not shocked.

"What the hell? Mikuo, stop," I said while pushing at his hands. I know how to get out of this position easily, but if I do, I hurt him. I don't want to do that.

"Why do you do this?" Mikuo growls as I continue fighting. "Oh, stop fighting. You'll be able to breath perfectly okay."

I stop.

"What do you mean by _this_?" I ask. Every inch of me is begging for my brain to allow to me to throw him off, asking my heart to take a knife at and strike at my attacker. I force it down and stare him the eyes.

"I mean this stupid facade you pull!" Mikuo says. My eyes dart to the three standing behind him, and I feel panic rising.

"Is he the man that got her pregnant?" One asks another. In a second, Mikuo lets me go and punches the man straight in the jaw. I see the lights go out behind his eyes as he falls to the ground, a lump of clothing and flesh. His jaw is probably broken.

"Fuck. Ah, shit, man, it's another crazy person. Of course he got her pregnant," another says. Mikuo steps forward, looking beyond pissed, but I hold him back, completely confused to why he feels such rage.

"I think you should realize something," Mikuo says through strangled breaths, struggling against my firm grip. "This - She - This is an act!"

I let go.

I can't believe he said something like that.

"Spread it!" Mikuo screams. "Spread it around the city _now_! Tei Sukone isn't a monster! This is all but a mere act!" The two run away, leaving their unconscious friend behind.

For a moment I'm too furious to speak. A balance of shock and tension runs through me, and I take an unstable breath.

And suddenly everything explodes.

"_What the hell was that?!_" I scream. "Why would you say something like... Why... Mikuo, I thought... What do you mean this is a facade? It's not... this is what I'm really like!" I scream, furiously raining punches down onto his shoulder.

"It's not," Mikuo says, not showing any signs of discomfort or pain. Strange, since I'm punching as hard as I can, letting all my fury out. "Who are you trying to convince right now? Me or yourself."

My hand drops.

"Y-You, of course!" I say, but I reply too late, my words too rushed. Even if I had said everything properly, he would have known that I was trying to convince myself more than anyone.

"Why do you continue to act like some crazy bitch?"

"Because I am one! When I fight, my vision goes completely red... I enjoy this pleasure of hurting. I like power, I have amazing skill with a knife-"

"You're human," Mikuo says flatly. "Humans crave power, and there are different types of humans as well. Some are sadistic while other are masochist."

"But-"

"Tei, you aren't that insane. You're human," Mikuo says.

"I'm insane," I say desperately. "That's all I've ever known myself to be."

"Really? Think about before your 'street life' began. What were you like?"

Bullied and insecure.

"Enough," I say, pushing his hand off my shoulder. "You can't force me to be here." Mikuo, however, isn't finished, and throws both arms and corners me against the wall. His eyes are wide with crazy, but he speaks with a nonchalant voice.

"Psychopaths have certain characteristics as well, some which fit you, some which don't. You don't act charming, in anyway possible except for those who like Tsundere's- and Gakupo is the only person I can think of who does- nor is your judgement poor. You may have a good fighting ability, but you're brain is average. You may not feel as much guilt as a normal person, but you do love, right?"

"I'm not in love with Len!" I scream, the words escaping my mouth before I can stop them. I never really thought about this... but I know I'm right. "I just want someone to want me!"

"Who said I was talking about Len?' Mikuo asks, raising his hand to push his bangs from his eyes. His arm then drops limply to the side just as the unconscious man begins to stir.

"Who the hell would you be talking about? Teiru? He-"

And suddenly Mikuo's lips are on mine.

For the first time in my life, I feel like I'm warm.

"G-Get off me!" I say while shoving him back, my heart rapidly pounding.

He didn't just do that.

I can't believe it.

What's going on?

Why do I want more?

And more I get. While pushing him away, Mikuo grabs one of my arms and then forces me to kiss him once again.

Again, this feeling. So hot... I've been cold my entire life, haven't I? Being lonely is so cold...

"You're in love with me," Mikuo whispers into my ear after pulling away.

"LIES!" I scream, my voice holding hysteria in it.

Why do I want to deny this so much? Is it because I'm afraid that things will change between us? Is it because I've never really had my mask of insanity off with him, and I'm feeling almost insecure?

Too much.

Too many emotions are swirling through me.

"I've known you for three weeks," I say.

"Yet you fell for Len within an hour?"

"I didn't like him!"

"Yet you pursued him for so many years? Say, Tei. Why are you rejecting these ideas?"

Too many things to let go all at once. Humans fear change, and I do, too. I can't handle all of this, I really can't. Not after not using these kinds of emotions in years.

"Leave me alone!" I shout again, struggling against his grip. "This isn't true, okay?"

"I think that my feelings for you are true," Mikuo says patiently. "I think that you should be true to yourself instead of pretending to be insane for the sake of others staying away."

"_Me?_ What about _you?_" I shriek.

His hand lets go of mine.

"Around me, you are all Mr. Unicorn and Rainbows, but the second another person comes within seeing distance, you instantly turn into Mr. Cold Badass. What's up with that?! Why can't you be Mr. Unicorn Badass? Unicorns are badass! You're badass! It works, so _why do you act like a robot in front of others?_" He stares at me, his expression unreadable.

"I... I know that," Mikuo says finally.

"Why don't you change then? Do what you preach, right?"

"Well, at least I've acknowledged the fact that I hold a facade! You're - just - allow people to say shit about you, and it hurts! You know that it hurts, yet you just... keep your mask on!" For once he struggles with his words, trying to get his message across. "I don't like it when you get hurt like this," he says finally.

I don't speak; I'm in complete shock. I've never heard people say such words like that to me before, except maybe for my brother. Maybe.

"I..."

"What's going on?"

Oh no.

"R-Rin!" I said, as she stepped into the alleyway. For once she wasn't attached to Len.

"Is it true about- everything?" Rin asked, eyes narrowing slightly.

"Uh-... well… I don't know," I said, not sure how to respond. I looked down at my watch quickly." Oh, would you look at the time! I need to go and, uh, water my plants!"

"What plants?" Mikuo challenged.

"My Venus Fly Traps, okay?" I said. "Well, ja ne!" With that, I spun on my heels and took off, practically running.

I just didn't want to be there.

"Wait! Tei! Wait up!" Rin calls, but I completely ignore her, wanting nothing to have to do with either of them. I just want to go find a corner and read manga until dawn. Maybe one of those silly Shojo mangas would actually be helpful for once. "Tei, didn't you hear me calling you?" Rin asks when she catches up. She's not out of breath, which surprises me. For someone her size, I had doubted that her endurance would have been any good.

"What do you want?" I growled. Oh, look! My fingers found their way back to my knife. It's probably a nervous habit, I suppose. When someone feels danger, don't they feel a little bit better after arming themselves? It's basically the same thing.

"Nothing, Tei! I'm just glad that you and Mikuo are getting together."

And I can't take it after that.

I allow myself to vent out pent up emotions onto her, and thus I pin her up against the wall, similar to the position Mikuo held me in moments before. "I don't know what's wrong with you, or why you want to stay near me, or perhaps you didn't get the memo that you should stay the fuck away from me. Okay?"

"Why would I do that, Tei? You know, I've had my share of past experiences. I'm not afraid of you," Rin says, and although her smile seems cheerful, there is a cold, hard look in her eyes.

"Even though I'm just a bomb that can explode at any minute? I think you should understand that I am very unstable, Kagamine. You may want to think whatever you want about me, but that won't change the truth about who I am. I like your boyfriend, remember? Feel threatened. Hate me. Challenge me to a fight. I'm more than willing."

"Why would I challenge you to a fight? My boyfriend isn't Mikuo."

Sometimes I wonder if this girl is a genius with guts, or just a plain, stupid airhead.

"MIKUO!" I roar, my knife flying out of my pocket and to her neck. Rin doesn't flinch, even when I draw blood. "I like Len! I'm not interested in-"

_Mikuo._

This isn't possible.

_Mikuo, Mikuo._

The knife drops to the ground, and I let go of Rin, falling to my knees.

_Mikuo._

With trembling hand, I grope for the knife, not really seeing, my mind full of a certain teal head. When I finally grab it, I grip it so tightly that I draw blood, but I'm too distracted to notice.

How could I not have realized that there was someone so close to me who liked me, could care about me, see past my facade.

I am such a turd cake.

I run back to the alley in which I last saw him, sprinting faster than I have in my entire life. I round the corner, grin widening, only to see-

He isn't there.

I run to the back of the warehouse, and try to throw open the door, only to realize that it's locked. "MIKUO!" I scream, pounding furiously against the door. "HATSUNE MIKUO, YOU ANSWER THIS DOOR RIGHT NOW! MIKUO! MI-"

The door is opened by a teal head.

His little sister.

"Sukone! U-Uh, Mikuo isn't here," she says. Although there a slight tremor in her voice, she boldly glares at me.

"Do you know where he is?" I ask desperately while grabbing onto her shoulders. "Please, where is he?"

"I don't know. He was last with you, right?"

And, although I search for hours, I can't find him.

* * *

Mikuo has been missing for the past week, disappearing without a trace. His younger sister can't file a missing person's report- something about not being able to get involved in the police too often.

I search desperately for him, yet I don't find him. It's like he's disappeared off the face of the planet. I leave early in the morning and return back home at midnight, but he's nowhere. I can tell that his friends blame me, but I don't care. I just want him back.

It's around three in the morning when I collapse onto my bottom in one of the inner city alleyways. I'm not one to cry, but right now, for some reason, I feel like sobbing.

I don't like being in love. It's seems like a pain in the ass.

I will not cry. I refuse to.

"Are you okay?"

Oh, fuck no.

"You…." I start, growling the words out. I force myself to my feet and then glare at him before taking a swing at him. Unlike how when I tried to flip on the train, he allows himself to fall to the ground. "You… YOU ASSHOLE!" I scream. "WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?"

"Sorry, sorry," Mikuo says, waving his hand up and down in a Shigure-like fashion. "It was my first time being rejected by a girl, and I didn't know how to react."

"You got over me so quickly?"

"No. I want to monopolize you right now," Mikuo says with a sigh. He sits up against the wall, and I join him. "I figure that I should come back for an apology."

"'Come back'? Coward, it sounds like you're leaving," I say, praying that I'm wrong. My heart is pounding like crazy in my chest, so hard that it physically hurts.

"I've decided to try and change, after all. But, like you said, I'm being a coward and going to have a new, fresh start," Mikuo says, leaning back.

"You can't do that!" I say quickly. Mikuo gives me a look, and I hastily correct myself. "W-What about Miku?"

"What about Miku? She has Kaito."

"B-But… You should…." I trail off, not sure what I should say in order to convince him to stay.

"Listen, Tei. Only one person can make me stay in this city, and she's sitting right in front of me." He leans closer, so that he's whispering into my ear. I shiver a little, but say nothing. "Just say the word, and I'm yours."

I don't say a word.

Instead I decide to do the crazy thing and kiss him.

We pull away slowly, regretfully. He stares at me with wide eyes while I try to catch my breath.

"Instead of having you stay," I start. "Why don't you take me with you?"

* * *

**Holy cow, that took a long time. I hope I win, and all, but if I don't then... I don't win? **

**Aw, whatever. I'm pretty proud of this fanfiction.**

**SPECIAL THANKS TO xFresca ONCE AGAIN! She was a big help for editing and stuff, and GO CHECK HER OUT. NOW!**

**Anyways, reviews, please? Or, any wishes of luck?**


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